Countermeasures radiation source for missile decoys

ABSTRACT

A missile decoy countermeasures radiation source that provides a controlled radiation source that emulates jet aircraft engines, wherein the radiation generating elements utilizes specific catalysts, dopings and fuel additives burned within a reticulated ceramic matrix. Further a variable speed multi-element rotating blade structure is incorporated to provide the chopping of the radiation. The reticulated ceramic burner is doped such that radiation spectral lines are highest in those bands that are of interest to anti-aircraft missile seekers. The outermost surface of the decoy body is fabricated from reticulated ceramics that are transparent to the select lines of radiant energy, is breathable and a smooth, providing an aerodynamic surface for fast moving aircraft. Further the injection of specific catalysts, dopings and fuel additives provide for real-time spectral management and the injection of oxidizers allows for high altitude operations.

STATEMENT OF FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH

There is NO Federal Sponsorship.

FIELD OF INVENTION

This invention relates to Decoys more specifically Missile Decoys and aRadiating Device being applied integral to the missile decoy bodyincreasing the infrared [IR] and Ultraviolet [UV] signatures of thedecoy.

BENEFITS OF INVENTION

This radiation source provides a much more attractive set of IR and UVsignatures to a Missile Seeker. The device uses of a reticulated ceramicburner doped with the correct rare earth oxides to provide a spectrallymatched set of specific signatures to an aircraft type. Active choppingof radiation further deceives the incoming missiles guidance by causingthe radiation to appear as if turbine blades are chopping the radiation.The decoy can last from seconds to hours depending on the mission andthe availability of fuel.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Currently most known missile decoys use pyrotechnics to create their IRsignatures. These pyrotechnics include pyrophoric foils and flares.Other decoy methods include Laser Dazzlers and IR Beacons.

Soviet SA-14 or subsequent, and current Soviet and Chinese SA-7 upgradesor equivalent MANPADS [Man Portable Air Defense Systems] have defeatedall of these countermeasures. The same holds true for United StatesStinger block 2 or later MANPADS including NATO derivatives.

In doing our research we have developed a multi doped ceramic burnerthat is mechanically chopped to provide a much more believable IR and UVradiation source.

One available countermeasure system is available from NorthropAircraft's Rolling Meadow's Division uses a missile launch detector,detecting the missile exhaust plume, and directional IR Sources orLasers. Such a counter measures system may range in price betweenapproximately two million dollars and three million dollars and is stillsubject to defeat. Rafael, an Israeli-owned company, is offering asimilar priced system, which takes 3 months to install.

Another system employs an onboard transmitter in conjunction with thethreat detection and identification system to send a command signaldirectly to the incoming missile to redirect it, this laser system issubject to defeat and simple to countermeasure.

BAE Information and Electronic Warfare Division, formerly SandersAssociates, offers an “electric brick” and “hot brick” type systemsAN/ALQ-204 “Matador”, which modulate an electrical or fuel heated IRsource to spoil the aim of the IR Missile.

For a more comprehensive understanding of the art, readers may finduseful Vol. 7. Countermeasure Systems, of The Infrared andElectro-Optical Systems Handbook, co-published by Environmental ResearchInstitute of Michigan and the SPIE Optical Engineering Press, copyright2000, revised printing 2000.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention is a countermeasures missile decoy radiation sourcedesigned to replaces the usual pyrotechnic foil and flare dispensers,the burner is located in the back half of a towed decoy see FIG. 1. Theburner is conformal to the aerodynamics of the decoy providingcompatibility with “Fast Movers”, [Super Sonic Air Craft] the burner ismade from reticulated ceramics with Silicon Carbide being the preferredmaterial. The ceramics are doped with select Lanthanide series elementsand their oxides. Other dopants include but are not limited to Platinum,Zirconium, Palladium and Cesium. The burner uses JP4-JP8 or other Jetfuels. The fuels may contain select additives including but not limitedto nano-energetic slurries, fumed Aluminum, Magnesium and Boronparticles. The oxidative burning of the JP and its additives radiatewithin and though the ceramics causing the combined dopants to reradiatewith UV and IR peaks specifically aligned to missile seekers. A rotatingchopper cylinder turns at such a controlled rate as to appear as turbineblades of a jet engine.

DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ART

U.S. Pat. No. 6,825,791 Sanders, et al. “Deceptive signature broadcastsystem for aircraft”. Sanders places several mechanically chopped IRbeacons strategically on the aircraft surfaces. This approach keeps thebeacons onboard.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,352,031 Barbaccia. “Radiative countermeasures method”.Barbaccia uses a towed decoy and expels discreet clouds of gelled fueland igniting the cloud. This differs in that in the decoy methodologybeing presented the radiation is continuous with the chopping frequencybeing created by the chopping cylinder[40] this presents more believablesignatures.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,662,700 O'Neill “Method for protecting an aircraftagainst a threat that utilizes an infrared sensor”. This decoy emitsdiscreet quanta of pyrotechnics programmatically via one or moreextrusion devices to basically custom build flares, but there is noattempt to chop the radiation and the radiation is delivered in burstsrather than steady state.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,055,909 Sweeny “Electronically configurable towed decoyfor dispensing infrared emitting flares” This is the basis of O'Neill'spatent and is in essence a towed flare dispenser to deploy pyrophoricflares.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,993,921 Schmidt, et al. “High heat flux catalyticradiant burner” Schmidt utilized noble metals is selected from the groupconsisting of platinum and palladium in the weights of approximately0.1% to 10% of the eight of said catalyst layer.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,782,629 Lannutti “Radiant burner surfaces and method ofmaking same” Lannutti provides a process for doping a ceramic fabricwith Zirconium to create a catalytic surface for a radiant IR source.Catalyzed burning takes place on the surface and is of limited value asa decoy. Further doping are done within the decoy burner, also dopingswithin the decoy are done within discrete zones within the reticulatedceramic.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1. This figure depicts an Aircraft[100] towing a Decoy[120] via atow cable[110] The decoy is deployed from an pod located preferably inthe tail cone in larger aircraft or wing pods on fast movers. Furthereach pod may contain a plurality of decoys.

FIG. 2. A schematic view of the decoy [120] where the frontnosecone[130] contains the cable attachments, decoy management computersfor flight surfaces fore canards[135] and aft winglets[164]. The decoybody[140] contains fuel and fuel/dopants management pluming; Further theair inlet ducts[145] are located in this section. The burner assembly[150] of the decoy contains the reticulated ceramic burner[50] thechopper cylinder[40] and the outer reticulated ceramic surface[155]

FIG. 3. This depicts a section view thru the burner assembly [150] ofthe decoy. The outermost surface is a breathable reticulatedceramics[155] that are transparent to the IR and UV bands specificallyof interest to missile seekers. The chopper cylinder[40] rotates aroundthe burner[50] that is a doped reticulated ceramic made of siliconcarbide. Within the burner are a radial series of holes[60] that endpartway thru the burner, these holes encase the fuel injectors and actas a mixing chamber for fuel and air that is ducted in via airinlets[145]. Item [70] is the igniter port that receives fuel and airand has a sparking device or preferably may serve as a mixing chamberfor hypergolic igniting materials.

FIG. 4. This shows the reticulated ceramic burner[50] and the radialfuel injector holes[60] and the Igniter port[70] which contains theigniter assembly or in alternative designs may be doped with one of thereactants such that a second reactant will cause an auto ignition.

FIG. 5. This depicts the reticulated ceramic burner[50] sectioned as BB.The relative depth of the radial fuel injector holes[60] and the Igniterport[70] are shown. [80] Is the outermost area of doping of the ceramic[90] is the center area of doping of the ceramic burner [95] is theinnermost area of doping of the ceramic matrix.

The process of creating the doping area is to block the outermostarea[80] with a high Solvent dissolvable wax. The center area[90] isblocked with a water soluble wax with a lower melting point than the waxused in area 80. The innermost area[95] is first doped then filled withkurksite or seraben. Next the water soluble wax in area[90] is washedout and the center area[90] doped. The next step is to fill the centerarea[90] with a water soluble salt.

FIG. 6. This shows the reticulated ceramic burner[50] and the radialfuel injector holes[60] and the Igniter port[70] [80] is the outermostarea of doping of the ceramic [90] is the center area of doping of theceramic burner [95] is the innermost area of doping of the ceramicmatrix.

FIG. 7. This drawing depicts the supporting pluming for the decoy'sburner to function. The Central Processor Unit[210] manages thesequencing and flow control of fuel from a pressurized fuel tank orbladder [170] via the Fuel Control[200] The Fuel Control further addsdopants [180 and 185] to the fuel prior to its injection[220] into theburner injection ports[60]. The Igniter[210] fits into the igniterport[70] of the burner[50] the igniter may inject a hypergolic[190],spark as a spark plug, glow as a glow plug or any combination of theabove.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

When a decoy is deployed the control surfaces processor deploys the foreand aft control surfaces and maneuvers the decoy though a programmed setof maneuvers. At the same time the burner control microcomputer deploysthe air inlet ducts, spins up the chopper assembly, pressurizes thefuel, opens the fuel control and ignites the fuel. The burning fuelvents through the reticulated ceramic walls causing the ceramic and it'sembedded catalysts to heat up to the working temperature where thecatalysts radiate specific bands of energy primarily in the UV and IRbands. The spinning chopper assembly chops the radiation to make itappear as a jet aircraft turbine.

Fuel flow, airflow and chopper speed are all managed by themicrocomputer so as to simulate the specific aircrafts spectralsignature with the overall output being higher than the target aircraftbut below the deception discrimination thresholds of Stinger-2/3, Sovietand Chinese SA-14 and subsequent MANPADS counter-countermeasures.

Specific dopings of the fuel may be used to allow high altitudeoperations in the form of nanoenergenic particles of Potassium PreMagnate Kmn(O.sub4) in a Ferrous Oxide shell (Fe.sub2O.sub3), or otheroxygen rich nanoenergenic particles.

Details of a Burner Ceramics Doping Process:

Presented is a typical doping process of which we have devised several.

One process of creating area specific doping is to:

-   -   1. Block the outermost area[80] with a high temperature solvent        dissolvable wax.    -   2. The center area[90] is blocked with a water soluble wax with        a lower melting point than the wax used in area 80.    -   3. The innermost area [95] is first doped then filled with        kurksite or seraben.    -   4. Next the water-soluble wax in area [90] is washed out and the        center area [90] doped.    -   5. The next step is to fill the center area [90] with a        water-soluble salt.    -   6. Dissolving the wax using a nonaqueous solvent exposes the        outermost area.    -   7. The doping is applied to the outermost area using any one of        several methods.    -   8. The metal “Kurksite” and the salt block outs are removed by        using hot water.    -   9. Curing is done in an oven.

1. A countermeasures missile decoy radiation source wherein: a. A burneris created from reticulated silicon-carbide ceramics, and; b. At leasttwo layers of dopants are deposited within the ceramic matrix with theinnermost doping zone being a mixture of Platinum and Zirconium. Thesecond doping zone being Samarium or Thorium/Thorium-Cerium Oxides ortheir complexes and other catalysts, and; c. The preferred fuel is Jetfuel [JP4-JP8], and; d. The fuel may contain additives of finely dividedAluminum, Magnesium, Boron or nanoenergenic particles and; e. Fuel flowcan be controlled to manage radiation output, and; f. An outer metalliccylinder with periphery slots is spun around the ceramic burner toprovide programmatic chopping of the radiation, and; g. The speed of thechopping element is controlled by electro-mechanical means. h. Amicrocomputer is used to manage fuel flow, chopper speed, dopantsmixing, igniter control and inlet port geometry.
 2. A missile decoycountermeasures radiation source as described in claim 1; wherein theceramics are, but not limited to; Aluminum Oxides, Zirconium Silicates,Titanium Oxides, Rhenium Boride, Oxides, Carbides or Nitrides.
 3. Amissile decoy countermeasures radiation source as described in claims 1and 2; wherein one or more of the dopants are Barium HexaAluminate,Palladium, Cerium, Zirconium Oxides, Phosphates, Thorium/Thorium-CeriumOxides or their complexes and other catalysts.
 4. A missile decoycountermeasures radiation source as described in claims 1, 2 and 3;wherein an outer porous ceramic tube [155] encases the burner andchopper assembly [See FIG. 3] to provide an aerodynamic surface forhigh-speed use. Further the ceramic tube is transparent to the radiationbands of interest.
 5. A missile decoy countermeasures radiation sourceas described in claims 1 through 4; wherein the microcomputer managesthe injection of dopants into the fuel.
 6. A missile decoycountermeasures radiation source as described in claims 1 through 5;wherein the microcomputer or Digital Signal Processor reads anUltraviolet Sensor and an array of IR Spectral Sensors to manages theinjection of dopants into the fuel.
 7. A missile decoy countermeasuresradiation source as described in claims 1 through 6; wherein the fuel issupplied from the aircraft or helicopter via flexible tubing within thetether, providing decoy operations for an extended period of time.
 8. Amissile decoy countermeasures radiation source as described in claims 1through 7; wherein Oxidizers are programmatically added to the fuelproviding decoy operations at high altitudes.